A Badger Among the Woods
by Phoenix Flamelight
Summary: Another challenge to NightClan. One-shot. A badger was found. What did they do to it? Read to find out!


_This is a one-shot for NightClan. It's not so long, just 600 words (or a bit more) but, yeah. Please enjoy and review!_

* * *

**A ****Badger Among the Woods**

"It's been a long time since Flamestar made me go on a patrol," admitted Silverfur, a silver she-cat with hazel eyes.

Her mate, Birchfoot, chuckled. "Maybe because you have kits now." He smiled at Icekit, Hollykit, and Ivykit.  
He swished his tail and Icekit pounced on it. He walked outside just in time, seeing Flamestar climbed op the Rock Cliff.

"Border patrols! Bluetalon, I want you to take a patrol with Willowfur. Silverfur with Stormwing. Vinenose, Starlingpaw, and Scorchpaw." The leader leaped away with unbelievable grace.

Silverfur came out. "Please take care of my kits while I'm gone."

Halfway through the woods the Silverfur stopped.

"What is it, Silverfur?" the grey tom asked. He hesitated. He smelled it to. A strange scent.

Silverfur dipped her head, not answering. She knelt down and kept her head low, sniffing the scent she trotted forward.

A few minutes later, she stopped in front of a pitch-black hole. It wasn't deep, just a few fox-tail lengths, but Silverfur could see everything in it. So did Stormwing. Silverfur's blue eyes gleamed with concern.

"What is it?" asked the she-cat.

Stormwing took a closer look. "A badger."

"Let's take back to CloudClan," suggested Silverfur.

Stormwing's face tightened. "No, Silverfur. Badgers are dangerous. Didn't you know that? Besides, that animal... that animal... just one huge on... almost... almost destroyed-"

"Please?" pleaded the young queen to the senior warrior. "I'll take care of it myself. I'll raise it as though it was my very own kit! Not as a fierce badger, a nice kit!" cried out Silverfur.

Stormwing sighed in despair. He nodded but he was really worried.

Back at the camp, Stormwing yelled and ran up to Flamestar. His brown eyes were wide with fear. Fortunately, Silverfur was asleep. Stormwing rushed into the leader's den. Flamestar whirled around.

"What is it?" hissed Flamestar.

"Silverfur! It's terrible! And... and it's my fault. At the patrol, she found a badger... a baby," cried out Stormwing.

"Kill the badger."

"She won't let me."

"Inform the clan."

"She'll get angry."

"Tell her I ordered you."

"Forget it."

Stormwing went away with Flamestar with a worried look.

_"StarClan, help me!" _thought Flamestar.

* * *

_*Six moons later*_

"Hooray! We're becoming apprentices today!" screamed Icekit.

A pudgy little blob known as Badgerkit stood in the corner in sadness. Just because of himself, well, nobody had liked him. Everybody had insisted making a second fresh-kill pile and feeding _him_ rotten fish and dead rats. Oh, come on. He couldn't be _that _horrible... probably...

Ivykit, his favorite stepsister, walked up to him. She and her mother always made him feel better, unlike Icekit and Hollykit, who teased him a lot.

"Hey, Badgerkit! Aren't you excited about becoming apprentices today? Yahoo!" Ivykit leaped into the air. Badgerkit whimpered.

"Oh, hey, don't be upset we're joining Dewpaw and Scorchpaw. You'll more likely be hanging out with Starlingpaw. Yahoo!"

"Come on, kits." Silverfur glanced at Badgerkit sweetly.

Badgerkit slid down the nursery while his sisters were carried one at a time. Cloudkit and Cherrykit looked at him disgusted. They were only born two moons ago.

"Monster," muttered Cherrykit.

Badgerkit whimpered. Of course he was a monster. Everybody treated him like dirt... except for Ivykit and Silverfur. He was so wide that Cherrykit, Cloudkit, Icekit, and Hollykit _sat_ on him. Ugh.

"All CloudClan cats old enough to hunt on their own, gather under Rock Cliff!" called Flamestar. "It has reached my attention that, Icekit, Ivykit, Hollykit, and, um, _Badger_kit have reached the age of six moons. Icekit, from now on, until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Icepaw. Berryfrost, I hope you will teach everything you know to Icepaw. Stand up, Icepaw, new apprentice of CloudClan!"

The clan cheered and the blue-eyed she-cat touched noses with another misty she-cat with greyish eyes.

"Ivykit, from now on, until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Ivypaw. Your mentor will be Fernstep. I hope Fernstep will teach you all she knows to you. Stand up, Ivypaw, new apprentice of CloudClan!"

The clan cheered again, while Ivykit touched noses with a brown she-cat with green eyes.

"Hollykit, from now on, until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Hollypaw. Your mentor will be Goldenstorm. I expect that Goldenstorm will teach you all he knows to you. Rise, Hollypaw, new apprentice of CloudClan!"

Cheering roared and Hollypaw touched noses with A golden tom with stormy eyes.

"And, ah, from now on, _Badgerkit,_ you shall be known as Badgerpaw. Your mentor will be... Stoneflame. I think I expect that Stoneflame will teach you all he knows."

Muttering.

"Dismissed."

The meanest cat. Thanks, Flamestar.

* * *

_*14 moons later*_

"I can't believe it. We're going to be warriors. _Today."_ mouthed Icepaw.

No mentors. No picking ticks. Perfect. Badgerpaw felt happy.

But now, the strange thing was, there was a weird rumor at camp: he was the best hunter. Stoneflame was actually a pretty good mentor, even though he could be rough and firm sometimes, but he knew his skills by heart. A perfect warrior.

"All cats old enough to hunt, gather around the Rock Cliff," called Flamestar. Her red fur looked like fire in the sunlight. CloudClan gathered around.

"Today, another four apprentices are becoming warriors: Badgerpaw, Ivypaw, Icepaw and Hollypaw! Badgerpaw, from now on, you shall be known as Badgerclaw. Ivypaw, from now on, you shall be nown as Ivyleaf. Icepaw, from now on, you shall be known as Icepool. Hollypaw, from now on, you shall be known as Hollyflower!"

A bunch of cheering. More warriors welcomed Badgerclaw than the rest. Ivyleaf had tears in her eyes. So did Silverfur.

"And from now on we shall accept Badgerclaw welcomed, the master of hunting!"

The clan roared in approval and agreement.

* * *

_I hope you liked it. I suppose it's not bad either._

_-Firepaw of NightClan_


End file.
